


Anything For Him

by fraufi666



Category: Neighbours (TV)
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Breaking and Entering, Drug Use, F/M, Gaslighting, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Violence, Romance, Soap Opera, Suspense, Unrequited Love, brain aneurysm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:27:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23696950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraufi666/pseuds/fraufi666
Summary: School principal Harry Sinclair never thought much about his mundane life until he employs aspiring teacher Finn Kelly for the first time. While he quickly falls for this progressive and charming teacher, there is a darker, more sinister side to Finn’s intentions. Blinded by his feelings, Harry pushes his moral compass aside to help Finn in any way he can, yet will this lead to devastating consequences?
Relationships: Elly Conway/Finn Kelly, Finn Kelly/Harry Sinclair
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is very loosely based on a conversation between Elly and Harry in episode 7623 when Harry admits he tried to cover up Finn's scheme to get a promotion, back when they worked together in Sydney. Since this scene was not actually shown in the series, I have had to imagine a lot of these encounters. As a result, there may be some inaccuracies, as well as characters that have nothing to do with Neighbours. See link below for the episode this is based on. (8:32) 
> 
> https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5qrrd3?playlist=x4ueq5&fbclid=IwAR1_EdQnJcI09f2zZFMSkUyQhAGejyPgEAQ_kRoedL1JhULAS6hgAP2B16A

It was a blistering summer’s day and Harry Sinclair had much to do in a space of a few hours. He sat at his desk, about to tackle the mountain of paperwork until the ring of the phone destroyed his momentum. He picked up the headset, putting it against his ear, “Yes?” He asked tiredly.

“It’s the day of interviews for a suitable replacement for Mr Burrows, Mr Sinclair.” The secretary explained.

He looked at his calendar in alarm, noticing the bright red text that screeched INTERVIEWS in capital letters. How could he have possibly forgotten?

“They aren’t to start until noon.” The principal grumbled. It was only nine ‘o clock.

He heard her sigh in exasperation “Well then why are you wasting my time Shirley? I have work to do.” He was just about to hang up the phone when she piped up.

“Mr Sinclair, wait! There’s an applicant. He’s been waiting here for an hour. He is really desperate to meet you.”

The principal grunted in response, “Send him in.” Perhaps if this man was going to waste his time, at least it would be over with very quickly. Who was he anyway? It was rare for anyone to show up to an interview that early. Harry barely ever took much notice of the resumes to remember anything. But what he was about to see would change his life forever.

The door opened and in entered a bespectacled dark-haired man dressed in a smart suit.

“Finn Kelly sir.” The man introduced himself, holding a hand out towards him. A charming but nervous smile was plastered on his face. Harry realised that he must have only just completed university, for he looked quite young. Something about his appearance was familiar, yet he could not quite place it. Even though he could feel the anxiety emanating off him, the bright blue eyes were full of admiration and respect. Harry felt touched.

“Good morning, Finn. Please, call me Harry.” He smiled warmly at him, gesturing him to take a seat opposite to him. The heat almost felt stifling in this room, as Finn was closer to him now. Harry made a mental note to badger the repairman again to fix the air conditioner. Why were people so unreliable? Harry loosened his tie slightly and opened up one of the folders, flipping through the pages with sweaty fingers. He found the resume after much frantic searching and had a brief scan through it. “So, you have completed your teaching degree.”

“T-that’s right.” Finn stammered. But he tried not to let his anxiety get the better of him, “I love helping students. When I was doing my placement, I felt like I really developed a good connection with the students.” He leaned towards Harry, taking his spectacles off and stared into his eyes. The principal felt his heart pounding as he caught a better view of them. “I believe that if we treat the students like equals, they will gain so much more out of their education.”

Harry smiled. The words were like honey to him. They were sweet and full of so much promise. “And you believe you will allow them to gain the most out of their education?”  
  
It was Finn’s turn to beam, “Yes, Harry. I believe I could.”

The principal felt himself perspire at the pearly white smile and before he could stop himself or process what was happening, he stood up to shake Finn’s hand. “Congratulations and welcome to Bondi High.”

The new teacher’s handshake was warm and firm. “Thank you so much for this opportunity. I won’t let you down.”

He knew that every word this man was saying was true. This was perhaps the best decision he had made, although it was spontaneous. He started to loosen the top button of his shirt. The room felt suffocating. He reached the phone to call the office. “Shirley, you can tell all the other interviewees they don’t need to come in anymore. I’ve already made a decision.”

“But Mr Sinclair, there are twenty more applicants!”  
  
“Tell them to go home!” He snapped. Quickly, he feigned a smile as he realised Finn was still in the room. Cupping a hand over the headset, he turned to him, “Why don’t you get yourself a coffee and I’ll come find you later so I can show you around?”  
  
“I can wait, sir.” Finn responded sweetly. Harry tried not to stare at him too long. What was with this man making him feel so uncomfortable? He went back to the phone call. “Shirley, don’t be difficult. We already found the right fit. Now stop bothering me.” Satisfied, he slammed the phone back on its holder. Standing up, he put his jacket back on, despite his shirt sticking to his skin and opened the door to allow Finn to walk in front of him.

But even out of the suffocating office, the feeling would not go away. _Pull yourself together._ He chided himself inwardly. Now was not the time to feel awkward. He tried to smile as he walked Finn down the corridor, showing him the different facilities. “Bathrooms are on the left. Cafeteria is down the hall. And the science labs are over to the west wing of the building.” He saw a couple of female students in the hall look at the new teacher with interest. He could not blame them for being curious. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, Mr Kelly was indeed very handsome. But his thoughts were interrupted as he spotted two boys fighting near the lockers. “Spencer and David, stop that at once! This is not a playground. Get to class.” The boys sheepishly obeyed, muttering a “Sorry Mr Sinclair” begrudgingly before collecting their books from the lockers.

“Sorry about that.” Harry apologised awkwardly to Finn.

“It’s okay. I know what teenage boys are like.” The smile was back and Harry could feel his breath against his shoulder “Full of hormones and energy. I was like that once.” The principal felt his cheeks burn and he quickly tried to change the topic. The last thing he wanted was to think of the handsome young teacher in _that_ way.  
  
“Right. So when can you start?”

“Right now.” Finn responded promptly. There was a cheeky twinkle in his eye and Harry wanted to crawl into a hole in shame. He must’ve known the effect that he was having on him. But how?

“But your teaching plan…” Harry began, hoping that he could find a way to distance himself from the new teacher further. This was all happening too fast and too soon. He hadn’t even sorted out the paperwork that he had neglected on his desk. “We haven’t assigned you to classes.”

“I’ve got it all sorted.” Finn replied, patting his satchel. His hand gently touched Harry’s arm. “Don’t worry, Harry. I know what I’m getting myself into.” Thankfully the hand had left his arm and Finn had opened up his satchel, taking out a diary with a detailed grid drawn on it. “I’m happy to take year 12 biology. That was what Mr Burrows used to teach, is it not?”

“Well…yes of course.” Harry coughed. It amazed him how organised this man was. How could he have forgotten that it was Mr Burrow’s position that Finn was filling in for? He felt so ridiculous. Nevertheless, he tried to push aside his embarrassment and walked him towards the classrooms. As soon as they stepped inside, a hush fell over the students.

“12G, please meet your new science teacher, Mr Kelly.” Harry announced. All eyes were immediately latched onto him and they began to exchange curious glances at one another. Harry could not cope with these constant reminders of how attractive his employee was. Quickly, he made his way to the door, “Mr Kelly, I trust you’ll know what you’re doing.” He muttered nervously and before Finn had the chance to respond, the principal had left the room.

  
It was only later that evening that Harry finally realised why the young teacher was so familiar to him. Back when working in Allendale High some years back, he recalled seeing a young, passionate young man that stood out from among all the other students, asking all sorts of questions about the school, eager to learn more. Among the crowd of bored, reluctant first years, he was only person who really made an impression on him.   
  
No wonder he had to hire him. Fate had brought them together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Reference to masturbation

The day seemed to drag on monotonously as Harry worked through the paperwork. He looked at the clock, noticing that it was now lunchtime. He sighed and put down his pen, wondering how Finn was coping with the students. Perhaps it was wise to check on him, but he recalled how uncomfortable that man was making him feel. The room had cooled down significantly since Finn had gone, but he could not help but be curious about him. Out of all the people he had interviewed in his twenty years as principal, never did he meet someone quite as remarkable. Was he single? No. It was very possible Finn was in a relationship with an attractive young woman, no doubt. Harry shook his head quickly, as if trying to get rid of the thought. Why was he so curious to know his employee’s personal life all of a sudden?

“Black coffee. Just the way you like it.”

Harry’s eyes darted from the table at the sound of the voice to see Finn standing before him smiling widely. He held a paper cup of coffee before him. The smell of strong coffee wafted through his nostrils. It woke him up and was intoxicating. The principal hesitantly took the coffee cup from him. “Thank you, Finn. But how did you know?

Finn sighed in relief, “Oh thank goodness I got that right. I’m glad. I worried the other staff members were trying to play a prank on the newbie” There was a real boyish charm to his manner and Harry could not help but to find it endearing.

“How are you finding the class so far?” Harry asked, trying to keep a professional tone.

“I love it.” Finn replied enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. He leaned forward, much to Harry’s surprise. “You have no idea how much I appreciate you giving me this opportunity, Harry. This means the world to me.”

Harry dismissed him with a wave of the hand, “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you are settling in. It’s rare to find dedication like this so early in the job.” He took a brief glance at the window, watching the strong sun seep through the Venetian blinds. “Why aren’t you spending time outdoors? It’s a beautiful day.”

“I don’t really know anyone else apart from you.” Finn admitted coyly. “I much rather spend my lunch break with someone I am comfortable with.”

Upon hearing these words, it felt like butterflies were fluttering in his stomach. Harry could not believe his ears. “Well…” The principal felt himself growing hot under the collar, “I appreciate that. But surely you’d have more fun spending time with the other teachers than to watch an old man do his work?”

Finn’s eyes were downcast and he lowered his voice so Harry had to strain to hear, “Actually I’m trying to turn over a new leaf. My last relationship ended badly, so I’m trying to focus sorely on my career.”  
  
Harry felt a slight tinge of relief to hear that he was single. But still, there was no way Finn would be interested in him. Besides, it was against protocol to have any kind of relationship beyond friendship with employees. “Oh yes. I understand completely.”

A hand rested on Harry’s and he flinched slightly. “I knew you would, Harry.” The blue eyes seemed to sparkle and the beautiful moment was gone as quickly as it came. His hand pulled away and Finn stood up. “Anyway, I should start preparing for next class. Have a nice day, sir!”

“You too.” Harry responded quietly as soon as the door closed.

_“There’s something I need from you.” Finn said as he came into the office, eyes shining. Harry sat there in confusion. He had no idea what he was referring to._

_The younger man walked up towards him, taking hold of his tie and staring directly into his eyes. Harry struggled to breathe he only managed to squeak out one word “What?” He was terrified for his life but at the same time, he could not help but to feel excited._

_“You know what I want…” Finn had climbed onto his desk, staring down at him as if a predator about to catch its prey. He felt a hand grip his thigh and felt the room grow hotter._

_“I…I don’t know what you mean…”_

_“You, Harry.” Finn whispered. “I want you.”_

_He felt himself grow hard as the teacher’s lips made contact with his own. The kiss was so rough, but he wanted more. He couldn’t pull away, no matter how hard he tried._

Harry woke up with a start. He felt so groggy, but his body had other ideas. He could not be having an erection over his employee! It was impossible. But as much as he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t. In a way, he was kind of disappointed it was just a dream. Under the bed sheets, he touched himself, moaning at the thought of Finn’s eyes gazing on him. How it would feel to kiss those rough, sweet lips. Harry felt himself come just at that very thought: he knew that thinking about that body would only increase his hunger. After he was done, he went to have a shower, hoping to wash away all of the evidence and guilt he was feeling. No one could find out about this. Anyway, it was a one-off. He was lonely since his divorce. There was nothing more to it.

Fortunately being school principal made it easier for him to avoid Finn. He always had so much work to do, and from what he witnessed as he passed through the doorways, Finn had forgotten about him already. He admired how passionate the younger man was about his job and he tried not to let the young man’s disinterest in him bother him too much.Perhaps he was just keeping things quiet. After all, there would be too much of a scandal if the other staff members found out about their relationship. Could he even call it that? If there was any sign of Finn getting preferential treatment, he could say goodbye to his job.  
  


He sighed. Whatever it was that was going on between them, it suited him fine.


	3. Chapter 3

One afternoon when he was packing up his things, he heard a familiar voice.

“Harry, could I have a word with you?”

He was sure he was having heart palpitations as Finn walked into the office. “Yes, please go right ahead.” He replied anxiously.

Finn walked over to him, only inches away from Harry’s nervous form. “I heard there is a promotion on the cards. Is that true?”

“Y-yes. That’s right.” Harry responded honestly. Instantly, he regretted telling him. This sort of thing was supposed to be kept confidential. Still, someone in the staff room must have been talking and there was no way he could hide the truth for long. Finn seemed far too observant. A hand rested against his arm.

“You know how much I appreciate this job, Harry.” Finn said sweetly, “So much so, I would really appreciate it if you could mentor me. Help me to become a better teacher.”

The principal chuckled modestly, “Oh I don’t think there is much else new I can teach you. You seem to do the job rather well on your own. Maybe in time you will get a promotion.”

A fire seemed to flicker in those sapphire orbs as Finn heard that last sentence. “Well, I hope I can.” He said, leaning in closer. The grip against his arm seemed to tighten. Surprising him, Finn’s grip had slackened and he stepped back at a respectable distance. “Thank you, Harry. I knew _you_ of all people would understand.” There was a certain warmth in his voice that surprised him. Was it possible that Finn felt the same way?

As soon as Finn had left, a middle-aged, female teacher had come into the office. “You needed to see me?”

“Yes, please sit down Julie. “ Harry said politely. She sat down immediately. “You’ve done such a solid job these past fifteen years. A lot of the parents have remarked that their students’ marks have improved dramatically since you have been teaching them.”

“Thank you sir.” Julie replied with a modest smile. “I just want what is best for the students.”

Harry nodded, pleased with her response. “I thought you would say that. Now, you may have heard that there is a promotion on the cards. I have not made a final decision, but you can be sure that you are being strongly considered.”

Her hands covered her mouth in astonishment. “I don’t know what to say…”

“Just keep an ear out for a special announcement.” Harry responded. It brought him some joy to see one of his oldest employees rewarded. She deserved it and there was no doubt at all in his mind.

But little did he know, Finn had not really left. He stood outside of the office, ear pressed against the door. Hearing the entire conversation, his hands curled into fists. This was not how things were supposed to be.

As soon as Julie had left the office, a smile so wide it hurt Finn’s eyes to see it, he had walked straight into her.  
  
“So sorry.” Finn apologised, backing away. But the woman’s mood was not dampened.

“Oh, hello. I don’t think we’ve properly met. I’m Julie Heatherton. How are you?” She extended a hand. Finn ignored it.

“Don’t you think you are a little too old for a promotion?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Finn gave a chuckle, as if telling a harmless joke. But his eyes told another story. He put a hand on her shoulder, walking her along the corridor. The older woman looked slightly confused, but did not want to make a scene. “Where are you taking me?”

“Is a promotion really that important to you?” Finn asked pointedly, “When you want what is best for the students?” They had reached the stairwell. Even if she wanted to call out to the principal, he was well out of earshot.

She smiled politely but there was fear in her eyes. She did not know this man at all and he gave her an unpleasant feeling. “Well, of course. I have a new teaching plan that I can better execute to the students with this new position. Don’t take this the wrong way, you seem like a good teacher, but I’ve been in the job for a lot longer than you. Harry just wants someone with experience and I’m sure your time will come.”

Finn leaned in so that their noses were almost touching. She could feel her back against the bannister. “Sure, you’ve been in the job for longer. But what if something were to happen to your health in the meantime?”

She frowned, “I don’t know what you m-“ Suddenly, her speech was interrupted by a cry as she was hurled from the third storey and down the stairs.

Quickly, he raced downstairs to see that the fall had put her out cold. He could still feel a pulse and sighed in relief. The last thing he wanted was to commit a murder. But at least now the fall had given him a golden opportunity to get that promotion. Making haste, he rang the ambulance.

Harry was startled to see Julie lying on a gurney as paramedics rushed to get her onto the ambulance. “What happened?” He gasped, rushing towards them. The red and blue lights danced against the sheets and the poor woman’s pale face. “Julie?” He turned to the paramedics, “Is she okay?”

“The woman’s experienced a nasty fall. Lucky one of the teachers found her when he did.”

Harry was about to ask which teacher, until he saw Finn standing in the distance. He gave him a slight wave. Finn walked up to him, concern in his eyes.

“Poor Mrs Heatherton.” He sighed in mock sympathy. Harry was none the wiser. Perhaps now he had made a mistake about promising a promotion to her. Who was he going to choose now?

“Yes. Such a disappointment about it all.” He patted the younger man on the back, “Thank you for taking the initiative to get help.”

Finn gave a shrug in response. Harry wanted to go after the paramedics, but they insisted he go home instead. He drove home, hoping that Julie would be okay. A slight pang of doubt crossed his mind as he realised that Finn had only just left the room before he spoke with Julie of a promotion, but he dismissed it. There was no way Finn Kelly, one of the kindest, most compassionate people he had ever known would be involved...involved? Involved in what? He shook his head. It must have been fatigue that was making him think strange things, nothing more. He could not wait to get home to finally get some rest.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few weeks he had come to visit Julie, leaving flowers at her bedside. She was still unconscious. The doctor explained that the fall had caused trauma to her brain, putting her in a coma. There was nothing more they could do for her except wait. Harry looked at her mournfully. All those years of teaching and there was a chance that she might never see the day of getting a higher position. Regret filled his mind: if only he had promoted her earlier.

Just as he was about to leave the room, an angry middle-aged man stormed in, glaring at him accusingly. Harry recognised him immediately: Mr Heatherton. “I can’t believe you were on the school grounds and you did NOTHING to stop this from happening!”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Harry apologised helplessly. “There was nothing I could have done. When I left the office she was being taken care of by the ambulance. I feel absolutely terrible.”

“So you should be.” Growled Heatherton, “You left my wife to die!” He jabbed a finger into the principal’s chest, causing him to wince “You know, I don’t even think this was an accident like what the doctors have been saying. Someone clearly wanted my wife dead. Mark my words, whoever they are, I will find them!”

“You’re blowing this all out of proportion.” Harry explained, trying to remain calm. It felt like he was trying to reason with one of the troublesome teenagers at the school. “There is no evidence that someone was behind this.”

“Well, who called the ambulance if you weren’t there?” Heatherton asked, “Hmm?”

An image flashed into his mind and he saw Finn smile at him from a distance amongst the flashing sirens. His heart was thumping like a rabbit’s. There was no way that Mr Kelly could have done it.

“I don’t know…” Harry lied. Although Finn couldn’t have been responsible, he did not want to implicate this man in a distressed husband’s accusation. “I was in my office.”

“Of course you were. You only ever cared about your damn job!” Heatherton shouted. Straight after he said that, a nurse came in and looked at Harry pointedly.

“I’m just on my way out.” Harry said quickly and walked out of the door before the nurse had the chance to tell the men to keep their voices down. He could not blame Heatherton’s anger. It was perfectly reasonable: he was worried for his wife’s health. But as Harry walked through the corridor, he wondered if maybe there was more to this situation than he let on.

When he headed back to the school grounds, he saw a small group of students sitting in a circle on the grass. It wasn’t recess and he was about to tell them off when he spotted Finn sitting amongst them. Curious, he walked towards them.

“Excellent theory, Kirsten.” Finn remarked approvingly, “And now with the gene chain…” He caught sight of the principal walking towards them, “Good morning Mr Sinclair, is there a problem?”

Harry was taken aback at the smooth politeness of his manner, “Oh,” He had to quickly make up an excuse as to why he was walking in on one of his classes. “This is a progressive way of teaching.”

“Yes, is that okay? It’s just that the students get so unmotivated in the classroom all the time. In Europe they’ve been trialling outdoor learning for students and there have been remarkable results. But if that’s against school policy-“

“No no, it’s quite okay.” Harry interrupted. “I won’t keep you from your class, but would you mind seeing me in my office afterwards?”

At that request, the students murmured an “Ooooooo” Finn chuckled, “Yes, us teachers get in trouble too.” It astounded Harry the good rapport he had with students. Never, had a new teacher made students so enthusiastic before. It often took months, maybe even years to get students to warm up to a new teacher here. But in this case, the students seemed to be on his level. Finn turned to Harry, “See you soon.”

On the way to his office, Harry went into the staff room to fetch himself a cup of coffee. He noticed some of the teachers huddled together in a group. He could not make out what they were saying as they spoke so quietly, but he was certain they were talking about Julie. As soon as they saw him watching them, they addressed him politely, “Is Julie okay?”

Harry shrugged before taking a sip of his coffee, “It’s hard to say.” He responded politely. “Shouldn’t you be teaching class?”

“Free period.” The teachers responded in unison. Harry raised his eyebrows, “Those year 12s are an absolute nightmare.”

“Oh tell me about it…”

At that leeway into a mundane conversation, Harry finished his coffee and left the room to go back to his office. He sighed at the large number of emails that popped up on the screen. In times like this he wished he did not have to work. He wanted to be outside, enjoying the summer, sitting back on some boat with a dark-haired lover by his side-

“Harry, you needed to see me?”

The principal was pulled out of his thoughts straight away. Finn stood at the door, holding a plate of biscuits. “There were very few chocolate ones left, but I made sure to get them for you.”

“Oh that’s very kind,” Harry remarked, feeling very much tempted at the biscuits in front of him, “But I’ve got to watch my cholesterol levels.”

Finn sat down, placing the plate on the desk. _Such a tease_. “Uh...Finn, we need to talk about something very important.” Harry tried to cut to the chase. He propped his elbows on the table, resting his chin over his hands, “Do you happen to know if there was anyone else in the room when Julie had the fall?”

“Julie? Is she okay?” His eyes were wide with concern behind the spectacles. Harry was sure they looked almost sapphire under the dull light of the office. He wiped the sweat from his upper lip.

“Unfortunately not.” Harry responded gravely, “In fact, she has been in a coma for weeks now.”

“I am so sorry.” Finn apologised, taking one of Harry’s hands. The principal felt his heart racing. “Were you close?”

“Julie and I are old friends.” Harry’s eyes were downcast, feeling incredibly hot and anxious as he was aware of Finn’s hand squeezing his own. He pulled his hand away. If he had kept it there for another minute, he might do something he would regret. “I don’t know what I am going to do about this.” What was happening to him? Harry was normally so guarded, but words continued to pour out from him like a waterfall. Something about this man made him so vulnerable, so naked. “I was going to give her a promotion, but…I think you might have a good chance.”

What appeared like a Cheshire cat grin filled Finn’s face. “You would do that for me?”

“Well I don’t see why not.” Harry murmured. “You would have been next.”

Gently, Finn took hold of his hand, moving it towards his face. He caressed the shaky fingers with his lips. At that point, the principal could not control himself. Instantly, he rose to his feet, leaning forward. Clasping the younger man’s jaw, he pulled him into a kiss. Finn pulled back, surprised. Harry felt his heart fall and put a hand to his mouth. “I am so sorry.”

Suddenly, Finn had climbed onto the desk, pulling Harry’s tie and kissing him roughly on the mouth. Harry felt a slight sting of pain, but also pleasure. He licked his lips, tasting saltiness from his own blood. The older man felt a sigh escape his lips as Finn’s free hand stroked his grey locks. Just as he was starting to get excited, Finn had released him.

“I should get back to my class. See you soon, Harry.”

And just like that, he had left the room. Harry fell into his chair, amazed to have experienced what he thought would never happen in a million years. He touched his lips, as if checking to make sure none of what happened was a hallucination. A small drop of blood appeared on his index finger.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he realised that what happened was real. He took a few moments to regain his composure. He was also aware of how sweaty his pink shirt was. He noticed that the plate of biscuits were still on the table and with some hesitation, finally took one. One had had to treat oneself once in a while. Whistling cheerfully, he began responding to the never-ending list of emails.


	5. Chapter 5

The machine’s beeps grew louder and louder. A hand stirred atop of the sheets, covered in wires.

“Can I get a doctor?!” Cried a familiar voice.

Julie had woken up. Her husband immediately rushed to her, trying to calm her down. “Sweetheart, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re finally awake.” Although she was overjoyed to see him, she could not forget the face of the young teacher who pushed her down the stairs.

“He did it…” She whispered weakly, her eyes struggling to stay open.

“Who?!” cried Mr Heatherton, taking a hold of her wrist. The woman opened her mouth to utter what she thought was his name, but she had lost her breath, “Julie? Julie don’t give up on me now!”

Just as a team of nurses and a doctor rushed in, the hand fell limp on the sheets. They crowded around her, trying very hard to revive her. Heatherton tried to hold onto his wife, but one of the nurses pulled him away, urging him to wait outside. Even though the ventilator was on, she showed no signs of regaining consciousness.

“I’m sorry.” Said the doctor gravely, looking at Heatherton who had tears running down his disbelieving face. “We cannot save your wife.” He turned to one of the nurses, who was holding a clipboard and a pen, his manner cold and clinical. “Julie Louise Heatherton. Time of death, 10:30 pm, 14th of April 2014.”

The very next day, staff members gathered in the room in anticipation. The school principal waited until the room quietened down. “Now as you are all aware, there has been a promotion.”

There was a muttering of whispers as the staff members tried to work out who it was who had been approved. But the name Harry was about to announce would shock them all.

He turned to Finn, raising a glass of blackcurrant juice in mockery of a wine they couldn’t have during school hours. “To Finn Kelly. This young man has achieved so much in a matter of a few months.” The grin on his face almost killed him and he could not stare at him for too long. Around him there was applause, yet not a single cheer. The mood in the room had quickly turned ice cold.

Finn stood up to shake Harry’s hand. “Thank you, Mr Sinclair. You have been an amazing mentor to me.” Harry gave a small smile in return, but the smile was quick to fade as the staff room door burst open.

A grief-stricken, dishevelled man stormed in, glaring at each person in the room in turn. The staff members gasped in horror at the intruder that they had recognised from the days when Julie worked alongside them. This was not like the man they knew. But it did not take Mr Heatherton very long to work out which one was getting promoted.

“Ah ha!” Heatherton exclaimed, looking directly at Finn, whose hand had only recently let go of Harry’s “It was you, wasn’t it? You were the one who murdered my wife! All for that fancy promotion!”

Finn looked back at him in astonishment, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” He turned to Harry for assistance.

“Murder?” Harry stared at Finn and then at Heatherton in shock. He lowered his voice and placed a hand on the grieving man’s shoulder, “I think we need to speak about this in my office.”

The man pulled away from Harry’s grasp, “No I _don’t_ want to talk about this in your office. That man killed my wife, I know he did! Everyone should know what this man is capable of!”

“Should I call security?” One of the teachers asked in nervousness. Harry hastily nodded, not wanting this drama to continue. Straightaway the teacher began to punch the number into the phone.

“Look, Mr Heatherton. I had no idea your wife did not make it. I am very sorry for your loss. But there was no murder. Your grief is getting the better of you.” Harry tried to reason with him. Heatherton refused to listen, still glaring at Finn accusingly. “My wife deserved that promotion. She worked so hard. You are just some baby-faced nobody.”

“Please sir, try and calm down.” Harry begged, hating how all the attention was on him now. He hoped that the students could not hear the drama that was going on during their lunchbreak.

“I will _not_ calm down! The whole world has to know the sort of person he is! And you, how dare you refuse to see the sort of people you hire. You are just as bad as he is!” It was Harry’s turn to be blamed. He desperately hoped that the security could come quickly.

Thankfully, two security guards burst into the room. They stood on each side of Heatherton, trying to be careful with the angry man. “Sir, we must ask you to leave or else we’ll have to escort you out.”

“How could you all be so blind?! One day, you will be sorry. Every single one of you.”* He jabbed a finger in Harry’s direction, “ _Especially_ you.” The guards began to take hold of him “Let me go! Let me go!” Heatherton screamed. As he was escorted out of the building, students in the corridor watched him, wondering who he was and why he was so furious. But they would never know.

The bell began to ring and the teachers went ahead with their day, immediately forgetting about the raving man that had interrupted their celebratory lunch just before. Harry noticed Finn about to make his way to the science lab. “Finn, could I please see you for a minute?”

“I really need to get to class.” Finn responded urgently.

“It can’t wait, Finn.” Harry insisted.

With a scowl on his face, Finn followed the principal into his office. Harry sat down at his desk, trying to remain calm after such a dramatic ordeal. He tried not to look Finn in the eyes, because that would only prevent him from being professional. “Finn, I have been thinking about this. The timing is far too convenient. Please don’t tell me you didn’t do it.”

“Why would I?!” Finn asked indignantly, “I don’t even know who he is.”

“But you _do_ know. He’s the husband of the woman who was going to get your promotion. If you did something stupid, I need to know.” Harry pressed. “I can help you.”

Finn gave a slight chuckle, but he did not look so happy about being accused, “I would never do anything like this, Harry. He’s clearly blinded by his grief. Don’t you see that he’s twisting things? Come on, I thought we knew each other better than that.” He reached out to touch Harry’s hand, but the principal pulled away. The last thing he wanted was for his feelings for this man to get in the way again.

“Don’t.”

“Harry, there is something I need to tell you.” There was a hint of desperation in his voice. Softness. Harry could not pull himself away from it. Perhaps there was some honesty there after all. He continued to listen. “I love helping people. I have always wanted to be a teacher when I was young. I have so many plans, so much I want to achieve. But I’m afraid that I won’t have time to do the things I set out to achieve.” The blue eyes stared at him mournfully, bare and vulnerable. He was showing him a side he did not show anyone else. Or so Harry believed.

Quickly, Harry tried to ignore his feelings and focus on what was being said. “What do you mean, not enough time?”

Finn looked at him sadly and leaned in, lowering his voice. “A few months before I got the job here, the doctors discovered a brain aneurysm. I won’t be able to live for much longer.”

“What?” Harry could feel a lump rising in his throat. He froze in his seat, paralysed by fear, not only of what was happening to the young man, but what he knew he was feeling for him. This was all too much.

Reading his thoughts, Finn got up and went to sit down on the desk right in front of him. “Harry, I’m dying.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asked, his voice wavering in denial. But judging by the solemnness in the younger man’s face, he knew it to be true.

Finn gently placed a hand on the older man’s cheek, “That’s why I really want to make things right. You are the only person in this world who can understand me. I want to be better. I didn’t mean to kill Julie. I just wanted to injure her so she couldn’t work for a few months. I need you to help me.”

Harry felt a rush of adrenalin and was alert. “What do you need me to do?” Suddenly it did not matter that Finn was a part of Julie’s death. He did not intend to kill her after all, and didn’t intent matter in cases like this? Right now, he was more determined to do whatever he could to help this man achieve his dying wish.

“I want you to file a report to the police. Tell them that he intruded school grounds, attempted to assault a staff member and is a danger to society.”

“But he didn’t hurt anyone.” Harry protested, “I don’t know if we have enough grounds to get him arrested.”

Fingers stroked against the older man’s stubbled cheek, “Harry, you’re a smart man. You can figure something out that will get him into trouble.”

“You want me to frame him? Finn, what if they find out that we are behind this? The police might think we are trying to hide something.”

His eyes were intent on Harry’s gaze, refusing to let them go. It was as if he was searching for something, anything in this older man’s eyes that could give him what he desperately lacked. Harry was almost sure he could see some tears in his eyes too. Remembering Finn’s smile when he received the promotion, the principal was not even sure if that look killed him more than the smile.

“Then don’t get caught.” Came the reply. If only things were that simple. “Come on Harry…”

Harry felt his breath caress against his cheek, the request both exciting and terrifying.  
  


“Do this, for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Footnotes for explanations
> 
> "...One day, you will be sorry. Every single one of you.”: This quote is a direct reference to Finn's later crimes when he comes to terrorise Erinsborough years later. If you haven't been following Neighbours, this includes sabotaging Susan Kennedy's MS medication to become school principal, grooming an underage student and later on killing a beloved member of Ramsey Street on an island, as well as unintentionally killing someone else. The list of his crimes is probably longer than that, he's really quite malicious and it's hard to keep track. Of course at the time of this story, nobody has any clue that Finn is capable of such things, thanks to Harry covering up his crime. 
> 
> He jabbed a finger in Harry’s direction, “Especially you.”: Although this story has made the relationship between Harry and Finn more mutual, this part indicates that Finn will later on betray Harry. In the series, Finn chooses Elly and only seduces Harry to get him on side.


	6. Chapter 6

It was not hard to find where the Heatherton’s lived. All it took was some rummaging through the staff files to look for Julie’s personal information. Early in the morning, Harry parked his car under a tree near the property. Pulling a black hood over his face, he then climbed out of the car and pretended to jog along the pavement. The car was still in the driveway, yet it looked like it had not seen a sponge in weeks. The garden too, looked like it had seen better days. But that was not why he was here. Harry crept towards the bedroom window. The curtains were slightly open, allowing him to have a good look inside. Heatherton’s bed was a mess, but he was nowhere to be seen. He could hear running water, and quickly crept over to where the bathroom window was. Again, the frosted glass of the window was open up just enough for any passers-by to look inside. Foolish. The man had washed his face and reached into the medicine cabinet to take out a small container. Harry strained his eyes to see that these were some prescribed antidepressants. Heatherton took out two pills, throwing them into his mouth and then drank directly from the tap. Suddenly, the man frowned in Harry’s direction and walked over to the window, giving it a firm shut. Harry felt the hairs on his neck stand up, hoping that the man did not see him.

After he had left the property, he looked up on his phone some of his contacts he once knew in high school that he never spoke to again. One of them had dabbled in drugs.

“Harry! Never thought I’d hear from you.” The voice sounded surprised, but cheerful.

The principal got straight to the point, hoping that this plan would work. “Yes, hi Martin. I need something from you.”

“You?! You’re always on the straight and narrow. What’s going on?”

Harry rolled his eyes at the small talk. Now was neither the place nor the time. He just hoped that his former friend would keep his mouth shut. “Look, I really need some of your strongest stuff. Don’t ask any questions. Name your price.”

As soon as money was mentioned, Martin was quick to get to the point, “This is your lucky day! I just got a new shipment. This sort of stuff works like LSD. You will completely lose all sense of reality. It’s heaps of fun, but super addictive. It’ll normally be 500 but I can do mate’s rates.”

“We are not mates. Meet me behind Pickett’s warehouse in an hour.” At this point, he did not care about paying the full price. Finn was worth it. After he had left the neighbourhood, he headed straight to the nearest ATM where he withdrew 500 dollars. It was a nerve-racking drive as he made his way to the warehouse. He knew what he was doing could get him into serious trouble, possibly even fired by the education board. As he continued to drive on, he could catch a whiff of the saltiness in the air as he journeyed near the coastline.

He finally arrived in front of a rusted, abandoned warehouse. The letterhead of Pickett’s had seen better days, the paint dry and peeling. Barely anyone had ventured out there, making this the ideal destination for what he was about to do. He made sure to park around the back, facing away from the road so other motorists would not notice him. Fortunately Martin was already there. Harry was taken aback with how badly his former friend had aged: he still had a mullet like during their uni days, but it only emphasised the lines on his tanned face. He walked up to Harry, holding a thick, A4-sized black envelope. Harry reached to take it off him, but Martin moved it out of his grasp. “Money first.”

Harry reluctantly handed him the cash. Martin counted it slowly. Harry crossed his arms, getting impatient. There was really no need to count. Satisfied, Martin put it in his pocket and then gave the principal the envelope. It felt strangely light in his arms. Would this really be enough?

“Here you go mate. Now I know you said no questions, but I hope you’re not getting yourself into any trouble. Is it for a lady?”

“That's none of your business.” Harry grumbled, shoving the envelope into the inner pocket of his jacket. He turned on his heel and started to walk back to his car.

“Whoever she is, she’s damn lucky!” Martin called out after him. Harry felt himself blush as he got into the car, thankful that the other man could not see his face very well with the hoodie on. As he started to drive out of the driveway, he wondered if the reason he was doing such a task would be immediately obvious to everyone else.

He started to make his way quickly back to the neighbourhood. He was sweating, growing anxious as the traffic began to slow to a snail’s pace the closer he got to the suburbs. The package did not weigh much, but the knowledge of its contents was the heaviest burden. Then, he heard a sound he did not expect to hear going on behind him.

Sirens. Police sirens, as Harry frantically realised, looking at his rear vision mirror. As much as he wanted to speed up and get away from them, he knew this would only arouse more suspicion. He pulled over.

The police car stopped behind him. A friendly looking police officer came over to the car. He looked fairly young. Harry hoped this meant less experience. He opened the window obligingly.

“Hello sir. Mind telling me what the hurry is? You were going 110 km/h in a 100 zone.”

“Just on my way home. I have work in a couple of hours and don’t want to be late.” Harry responded, his heart in his throat. He tried to stay calm. Any sign of panic and the police would surely detect it. They were trained to notice such things, after all.

The officer narrowed his eyes. He did not look convinced by this story at all. “What were you doing all the way in the outer suburbs so early in the morning?”

Harry raked his brains for the most reasonable excuse, “I like to go for strolls. I have trouble sleeping.”

He watched the officer’s suspicious gaze. The officer was still not buying it. He peered into the back seat of the car, but there was nothing there.

“Mind if I look in your boot?” he asked.

“Be my guest.” Harry muttered, pressing the button in the glove box to open it up. The officer walked over to the boot, taking a good look inside. After what seemed like a few minutes, he walked back over to Harry, a satisfied smile on his face. “Good.” Harry tried not to sigh in relief, although the temptation was overwhelming. The officer started to scribble something in a notebook. “I’ll leave you with a warning. But if I see anything like this again, I won’t be so generous.” He gave the warning to Harry. “Hope your sleeping improves.”

“Thank you.” Harry replied, taking the warning off the policeman. He felt a great sense of relief wash over him as he continued on the freeway, back home. The day had not even started.

He was unsure as to where to put the package. There was no time to replace Heatherton’s medication with the illicit drugs. He had to think of another way. If things went wrong, the last thing he wanted was to have the drugs traced back to him. Harry quickly decided to put them in the storeroom at the school. It was fool proof: students were often hiding in there making out, smoking and doing who knows whatever else. He never caught them in the act, but had heard other staff members issue detentions for those students. His heart was pounding as he clutched the envelope behind his coat. What he was doing was wrong and irresponsible, but he could not afford to lose his job. He hoped desperately that none of the students would use them, let alone find them. Once he had some spare time, he would retrieve the envelope and switch Heatherton’s medication. He was just about to head into the storeroom, when one of the students walked right into him. In a moment of clumsiness, he dropped the envelope onto the floor. Thankfully it was sealed.

“Spencer! Watch where you are going!” the principal growled, clambering to his feet to pick it up.

“Sorry Mr S,” The boy apologised. But then he looked at the envelope with suspicion, “Is that what I think it is?”

“I beg your pardon?” Harry asked in bewilderment, his mouth suddenly dry.

Spencer laughed, elbowing the older man playfully, “It’s okay, Mr S. Your secret is safe with me. I love reading those sorts of magazines too.”

Harry looked at the black envelope in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly grew suspicious. It was not the worst-case scenario, but he could not help but remain wary. “How would you know what is in there?”

“Next time sir, don’t go hiding that in your jacket. It looks way too suss. Try reading it behind another book. That’s what I do. “ The student winked and then dashed off to class. Harry felt himself blush as he went into the storeroom, trying to hide the drugs in a secure spot. Quickly, he hid it behind some cleaning supplies before emerging from the storeroom. He felt somewhat perverted having realised the other purpose the students used for the room. Never mind. Teenagers will always be teenagers. Harry walked through the corridor, making his way to his office. The phone was already ringing. He sighed. Nothing had really changed. He sat down in the chair and picked up the headset.

“Yes?”

“Mr Sinclair, Shirley here: Just wanted to remind you that the new intern is coming in tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?!” Harry gasped. Why was he so disorganised? He put his head in his hand. He knew why. Finn had occupied all of his thoughts and activities as of late. “Okay, Shirley. Thank you. Did you already collect all the deposits for the year 7 camp?”

“Yes, sir. Anything else you need me to do?”

_Bring me Finn Kelly_ , Harry wanted to say, but stopped himself in the nick of time, “No, nothing. Bye.” He hung up. He would have to deal with Finn later. With luck, perhaps Finn would be grateful for his efforts.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Reference to oral sex

He didn’t think much of the new intern. Elly Conway was a slender brunette who seemed like a hard worker, but lacked the passion that he saw in Finn. Reluctantly, he gave her a tour around the school. Once they approached the science lab, he made the mistake of peering into the window. The teacher was assisting a student, leaning in close, his hand tracing the contents of the sheet in front of her. Harry felt his knees grow weak as he watched him, wishing it could be himself in that place. He was so used to trying to help Finn, he felt a longing for that same sort of assistance.

“I said, is that all Harry?” Asked Elly.

Her voice pulled him away from his thoughts. He quickly turned away. “Yes, sorry. You know where the staff room is right?”

“Of course.”

“Go make yourself a tea. I will catch up with you later.” Harry dismissed her. He wanted to go back to looking at Finn. It had been ages since they last spent time together, like an eternity. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for him. As he watched Finn smile in encouragement to the student, he realised he was falling for him. Hard. If Finn could give him that same amount of encouragement, he would feel complete.

Suddenly, the blue eyes were on him. There was a hint of a smile on Finn’s face as he noticed Harry looking. Quickly, the principal turned away and walked back to the safety of his office. As much as he wanted to stand there all day and watch him, he could not let himself get too sucked in. Perhaps after school he will try to see him again, to tell him that he was on the way to clearing Finn’s problem for once and for all.

As soon as the school bell rung, students poured out of the class, desperate to catch the last rays of summer before heading home. Harry could not sit still in his office and was wandering the corridor, waiting for Finn to emerge from the science labs.

Eventually the younger man did come out. He looked exhausted, but content. Harry quickly took the chance and approached him.

“Finn, I need to speak to you.” Harry said quickly, “Can you come to my office please?”

“Oh sorry Harry. I’ve got some plans.” Finn responded, a cheeky grin on his face. Harry’s face fell. Never had he felt this crestfallen.

“Can they wait? I have some good news.”

Finn gave a slight pat on his back, “Good for you. We’ll talk later.” And with that, he went over to the English classrooms where the new intern emerged. Elly smiled as she walked with him, chatting to him in excitement. Finn’s back was turned towards him, so he could not see his expression but the way Elly’s eyes sparkled reminded him of the very first day he met him.

Jealousy was a nasty feeling, Harry quickly realised, as he clenched his fists and stormed back into his office. His heart was aching both out of anger towards Finn, but sadness for realising that he was not the one that was chosen. He threw the papers and books off his table, ruining the order he had created for himself painstakingly for weeks. He noticed the ceramic mug on the desk, the tacky gold writing reading _Best Principal in the World_. He scowled. None of that mattered anymore, for the one thing he desperately wanted, he could not have. He picked up the cup by the handle, throwing it against the wall. It shattered into several pieces, like the way his heart had felt. His back against the wall, he fell to the floor, face in his hand and wept.

The rest of the evening was a blur. He had managed to get up from the floor, dusted himself off and dispose of the broken cup and went home for the night. The empty, dingy apartment provided him no solace. Despite trying to focus on work, he could not take his mind off Finn. How could anyone be so cruel? He had been trying his best to find a way to clear Finn’s name, and yet this was how he treated him. Was it even worth carrying out his plan anymore? It was terribly risky and Finn had no idea how much he was willing to risk his job, his _life_ for him. He was almost tempted to return back to the school and dispose of the drugs, but he did not want to risk getting caught by the janitor. Now he had to sit tight and remain calm. Perhaps there was a way he could still make Finn come back to him.

Harry sipped the glass of wine, turning on the TV to see what was on that could distract him from his thoughts. A brief glimpse of a couple holding hands was enough for him to switch it back off. He did not want to think about what Finn and the new intern was doing right at this very minute. On this cool night, they were most likely snuggled together, skin on skin. What he would give for it to be him in her place. Elly Conway was certainly beautiful, and she held herself with confidence. He was not at all surprised that colleagues took an interest in her. But he knew in his heart, from that evening when Finn confessed his health condition, that they had a connection. They only kissed once, but that was enough for him to know that there was intensity, a spark between them.

The kiss. He felt his body switch on as he thought of that saltiness on his lips when Finn drew blood from them. Shaking his head, he stripped off and went into the shower to wash the day’s sorrows from him.

Once the screen began to fog and water poured over his body, he noticed the screen shift slightly. Puzzled, he went over to close it and continued showering, his back to the door. Letting the water soak his face, he had no idea that the door shifted open again. Lips began to kiss the side of his neck, and he relaxed, knowing full well who it was. “I didn’t think you would come back.” Harry whispered.

“Shhh….” Hushed Finn, his hands making their way to Harry’s soaked chest, teasing his hardened nipples slightly. Harry gazed at him from head to toe, admiring the slight, yet toned figure before him. Finn continued to kiss his neck, moving lower down his torso. Harry felt himself harden even before his lips made contact with his cock.

“How did you know where I live?” Harry muttered, trying to hold himself back from moaning as the other man took him in. He was panting, the heat of the shower now too unbearable for him. “F-Finn…” He gasped, falling against the tiles of the shower, the pleasure so overwhelming. Closing his eyes, he let himself be taken in completely.


	8. Chapter 8

He was late to the office the next day. Rushing through the corridor, he saw Finn walk by casually with Elly. He was so deep in conversation; it was as if Harry was not even in the room. Given the events from last night, he decided he had to face him.

“Mr Kelly, I need to have a word.”

Elly gave a nod to Finn, “I’ll catch up with you later.” She then smiled politely at Harry, “Mr Sinclair.” Much to the principal’s relief, she walked away from them. They walked into the office, Harry temporarily surprised by all the mess of the files on the floor, but soberly remembering what had caused it. “Please, take a seat.”

“What happened here?” Finn asked, closing the door behind him before sitting down.

“I need to talk to you about last night.” Harry muttered,

“What do you mean?” Finn asked quizzically.

Harry raised his eyebrows, lowering his voice, “You know…with us.”

Finn laughed, before giving a cheeky smile. “You had a sex dream about me? I’m touched, Harry. But surely you’re not calling me in for that.”

His face fell. A dream. He knew it was all too good to be true. All the wine he must have drunk last night clearly had an effect on him. He felt his cheeks burn but continued to push on despite the embarrassment. “Finn, I am taking care of the situation with Heatherton.”

“You better be.” Finn responded with a tone of criticism, his face twisted in a scowl. This was not the validation that Harry had been hoping for. “Because some of the staff members are talking and I can’t let rumours ruin my career.”

“What about us?” Harry asked, searching Finn’s eyes pleadingly.

“There _is_ no us.” Finn replied. “And if you don’t do as I say, you know how bad things will look for a principal obsessing over a teacher.”

Harry rose to his feet, shocked and angered at the threat, “You have no idea what I have done for you.” His mind felt so clear now, finally seeing things for how they were. “And if you threaten me, I will end your career faster than you can call your colleagues. I don’t need to help you anymore.”

Finn stood up, grinning “Is that so? Try me.”

He could not hear any more of this. The madness had to stop now. Harry pushed back his chair, walking straight out of the office. Finn looked at him in bewilderment, the grin gone, walking quickly to try and catch up with him. “What are you doing?” His voice was filled with panic.

Fortunately the entire corridor was empty of students so Harry unlocked the storeroom with ease. “Harry?!” Finn’s voice started to raise, anger masking fear. He followed him into the storeroom. He caught sight of the principal taking out the envelope from its hidden spot, tearing it open. Harry walked over to the basin, ready to throw the incriminating contents into the sink. Finn grabbed hold of his wrists, struggling to pry envelope from his hands. “Harry, please don’t do this!” He begged, “I need this job. I can’t go to jail!"

“Why should I bother helping you?” Harry asked, clutching onto the envelope, “If you’re going to throw around threats?”

For a moment, Harry witnessed the hurt and sorrow in the younger man’s face as it contorted into a frown of pain. Suddenly, Finn collapsed to the floor, holding onto his head. Harry immediately put down the envelope and knelt over him. “Finn? What’s going on? Should I call a doctor?”

Finn winced in pain, confused by the gentle hand that rested against his head, “You still care for me even after the things I said?”

“You know I do.” Harry muttered, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat on the other man’s forehead, “Even if you don’t feel the same for me.”

He felt a hand pull against his own, “Hold me.”

Those words were enough. Harry lay down beside Finn, wrapping his arms around him. They lay like this for several moments in the dark, not even speaking. Normally this kind of interaction would make the older man hungry for more, but this was different and he did not want to take advantage of someone in such a fragile state. What was going through his head? Harry wondered. One minute he was making threats and the next minute he had become so vulnerable. He could not help but wonder what kind of trauma this man went through to make him behave in this way. Was it the aneurysm, or something more? But he had regretted refusing to help him. These were not normal circumstances after all.

“Is it still hurting, Finn? I think you need to go to the sick bay.” Harry asked in worry.

Finn’s hands clung to his shoulders as if a drowning swimmer clinging onto a buoy for dear life. “No. Not while I have you.” Harry felt surprised by the words. He never knew how important Finn had regarded him. But a part of him still felt slightly unsure.

“Please let me in, Finn. I can help you.” Harry said soothingly, staring into those eyes that once tantalised him. They looked so lost now. He needed him, even if he acted otherwise. No matter how many times Finn tried to push him away, the principal was still going to do whatever he could for him.

Finn suddenly pulled out of Harry’s grasp, getting up from the floor and dusting off his clothes, “Forget it.” He dismissed. To Harry’s dismay, that vulnerability was being hidden behind a wall again. “I’m fine.” And with that, he walked out of the storeroom, leaving Harry in the dark and alone with his thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

After school was finished, Harry went straight back to the storeroom to retrieve the envelope. Despite the struggle, none of the drugs had fallen out of the envelope. He went back to Heatherton’s neighbourhood, making sure to put on a pair of gloves before leaving the car. Fortunately for him, there was no car in the driveway: Heatherton was out. He crept onto the porch, checking under the doormat for a spare key. Nothing. He turned to the potted plants that were nearby, lifting them up one by one. Finally, he caught glimpse of a single silver key.

Without much difficulty, he unlocked the door and walked in. The room felt unbearably warm and suffocating: he realised that Heatherton did not open the windows very frequently; unlike last time he was there. Empty boxes of pizza and takeaway piled the kitchen, flies swarming around them and Harry could not help but to feel slightly disgusted. An empty bottle on the floor almost caused him to trip over. Harry quickly realised that this was the sort of fate that Heatherton was bound to have, with or without the drugs.

He walked into the bathroom and searched through the medicine cabinet, trying to find the anti-depressants. It took a while, but eventually he found it. He opened the container, pouring its contents into the sink and turned on the tap so that each tablet was washed away. Next, he drew out the envelope, pouring the drugs into the container. Luckily for him, the capsules looked practically identical to the antidepressants. He closed the lid and carefully replaced the container in the medicine cabinet.

He breathed a sigh of relief, yet this was short-lived. He heard the unmistakeable sound of a car reversing into the driveway. Harry froze. He did not expect Heatherton to be home so early. Frantically, he tried to think of a place to escape. He tried to open one of the windows, yet due to being closed for a long time, they remained firmly in place. Footsteps were getting louder and there was the fumbling of keys as Heatherton began to unlock the door.

Quickly, he went to the bedroom, hiding behind the door. He hoped Heatherton was not going to walk into the room. Thankfully, Heatherton went into the lounge, turning on the TV. It was full blast, so Harry was able to creep out of the room without being heard. He made it out of the front door, making sure to put the spare key under one of the pot plants before departing. He drove away, relieved that he was able to set out to do what he had planned. Now all he had to do was wait for Heatherton to take the pills.

The next day, Harry could not concentrate. His mind kept on going back to whether or not Heatherton had taken the medication. It was too hard to say. He wondered how Finn was handling class. It was admirable how easy it was for Finn to detach himself from his emotions; to Harry, they felt more like a plague. How he longed to see him, even just to stand in the same room as him and not say a word. But that would be impossible: every single time he saw Finn he was walking beside Elly. The sight alone would cause his heart to ache. They did not have to hold hands or kiss for him to know that something was happening between them. A smile, a slight brush against the arm, an intent gaze: that was all enough for him to know. Finn did not even come by his office anymore to give him coffee or biscuits; he was only doing this for Elly.

Finally, after what seemed like an excruciatingly long day, Harry was on his way out when something stopped him in his tracks. In the darkened corridor, Heatherton had cornered Finn, who was looking back at him in shock.

“You’re up to something, I know it!” Heatherton spat. His eyes were wide like saucers, pupils dilated. Harry knew straight away that the drugs were having an impact. “I keep having visions…” he went on, “Seeing Julie everywhere: what have you done to me?!” He grabbed hold of Finn’s shoulders roughly.

“Because you’re clearly mad.” Finn retorted, a nasty grin on his face. Harry looked on in concern, knowing that things were only going to get worse, “Go on, tell the police I did it. They will never believe you.”

“Please, Mr Heatherton, you need to calm down.” Harry pleaded, stepping closer. “This is your grief talking.”

“You’re in on this too!” Heatherton flashed a glare at the principal, “I should have known. My wife mentioned that you two were always so chummy.” Foam started to leak from the sides of his mouth, but the aggrieved man was in too much of a state to notice. There was a wide grin on his face, the grin of realisation. He pointed a finger at Harry, who was beginning to feel uncomfortable. “I knew there was something strange about you, and now I know. You may act like the calm, reasonable leader of the school, but I know…” He was wagging his finger as if the older man had been the misbehaving student, “I know you’re nothing of the sort. You’re willing to do whatever you can for _this_ lunatic! The entire education board will eventually find out your dirty dealings, Mr Sinclair, mark my words.” He leaned in closer to Harry, who could smell his bitter, stale breath. He had been drinking as well. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” He laughed, his face contorted in an expression of mock sympathy, “You poor, wretched soul. Why didn’t you just stay with Diana? Your marriage seemed fine. Unless she saw something she wasn’t meant to see?”  
  
The words felt like a stab in the back. He was aware that falling in love with one of his male friends had been the end of his marriage, but to think that Heatherton would bring it up in a time like this seemed so petty and cruel.

  
“That was a long time ago.” Harry chided, desperately wishing to change the topic. He really did not want Finn of all people to see this side of him. “I don’t see how that’s relevant now. Please just leave the school grounds or I will have to call security again.”

“There you go, acting like you’re all calm and reasonable again!” Heatherton screeched. Harry felt a slap against the side of his face and he crouched over, holding onto his sore cheek.

“Get your hands off him!” Finn shouted, grabbing his arm roughly. Harry could not believe his eyes. Never, did he think that Finn would ever defend him.

Heatherton merely laughed in response. He looked at each man in turn. “Well, it looks like your feelings are mutual after all. Don’t worry. When the police find out about this, I’ll make sure you two have a cell together.”

As Heatherton continued to rave, his attention now on Finn, Harry fumbled through his pocket for his phone, quickly calling security.

“Why don’t you tell them to check the cameras while you’re at it?! Then they’ll see what Finn did to my wife!” He struggled as Finn’s grip tightened, “Let go of me!”

“They are on their way.” Harry informed, ignoring Heatherton’s cries.

Fortunately the security did arrive in the nick of time to see Heatherton trying to swing a punch at Finn. A guard quickly restrained Heatherton. The other guard saw Harry holding onto his cheek. “This man is a danger to the school.” Finn explained, “He barged into campus and assaulted us. Is there a way we can impose a ban on him?”

“Only if the principal thinks so.” The guard responded, looking at Harry for his response.  
  
Harry merely nodded, still in too much pain.  
  
Taking that as approval, the guard noted something down in his book. Then, the guards took both arms of Heatherton, escorting him out. Both staff members could hear one final cry as Heatherton was taken further and further away from their lives.

“I’ll get you for this! The whole world will know what sort of man Finn Kelly really is!”

“Are you okay?” Finn asked, turning his attention to Harry. The older man raised his eyebrows, genuinely surprised at his concern.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Gently, he felt his lips gently caress the sore part of his face. Harry’s eyes widened, looking at Finn in bewilderment.  
  
“But…you said there was no us…” He whispered in confusion.

Finn smirked, “I can’t let us be too obvious to all the other staff members, Harry. You know this. I can’t get us into trouble.” His fingers laced with Harry’s. “But you know how much I care about you. Whatever happens, I want you to remember that.”

Harry looked at him, sadness in his greyish blue eyes, “How do I know if you’re telling me the truth?”

Finn’s hand squeezed the older man’s hand, “Just remember this.” As the corridor grew darker, he had caressed Harry’s face, running his fingers against his lips. Instinctively, Harry took hold of his fingers in his mouth, sucking them gently. He could feel Finn’s fingers tremble as he did this. Finn’s other hand reached down to the principal’s crotch, stroking against the erection that was threatening to escape from his trousers. He unzipped them, finally freeing his engorged member. To Finn’s excitement, the tip was dripping with precum. “Remember this always.” Finn whispered, leaning in close. As his hand ran along the shaft, causing Harry to moan, he kissed him passionately, tongues entwined. Finn continued to fondle him, grinning at how much the older man was enjoying himself. The air felt so hot between them and Harry was desperate for more. But somehow he knew that they couldn’t. Not here anyway.

As expected, Finn pulled away, zipping up Harry’s trousers. _What a tease_. Harry realised. “I need to get home now. My wife will be worried.” Finn explained.

Harry’s face fell, but he understood. Of course there had to be a catch. But did Elly know that he was married?

Finn’s hand rested against Harry’s shoulder, “You will make sure that your window is slightly open tonight, won’t you?” He asked cheekily. Harry’s jaw dropped. He must not have been dreaming about what happened in the shower after all.

“Ah…Of course.” Harry stammered. He was still too aroused to think properly. Finn merely smiled back at him as he picked up his satchel from the floor. Then, he walked out of the door briskly, leaving Harry panting against the wall as he tried to process what had just happened.


	10. Chapter 10

Heatherton never really did get a chance to expose Finn to the education board, let alone to the police. As Harry drove to work, he took a detour through Heatherton’s neighbourhood just in time to see the police walking him out in handcuffs. Heatherton narrowed his eyes as he spotted Harry’s vehicle as if trying to remember where he had seen it before. But just as he was about to alert to the police that it was the same car that he had seen outside of his house before, they had put him into the police car, making sure his head did not bump the roof of the car as he went in. The man continued to glare at Harry, fury in his eyes as he tried to shout his name, but his cries remained unheard behind the thick, bulletproof window of the vehicle.  
  
 _One day, you will be sorry. Every single one of you._

_Especially you._

Thinking over that day of Finn’s promotion, Harry did not know what this man had meant, and a part of him wondered whether or not Heatherton’s cries rang true. But as the man continued to protest and bang on the window, the vehicle drove away. Heatherton’s accusations, whether true or not were never going to be heard, at least not now.

As much as Harry disagreed with Finn’s actions, he knew that he was right about one thing: the police would never believe someone who was seriously affected by hallucinogens, as well as alcohol. Later on, he would learn in the paper that Heatherton had been taken to a psychiatric ward for extensive therapy on his drug abuse. Harry had managed to bury the hatchet, once and for all. He just hoped that nobody would have the sense to test the “medication” that was in the bathroom cupboard. He also made note to get hold of the security footage from the night of Julie’s fall before anyone highly perceptive could.

When he arrived at Bondi High, he saw Finn sitting on a bench with Elly, talking enthusiastically. The brunette leaned in towards him, smiling and her eyes full of love. He almost felt sick looking at how cosy they looked, like something out of a romantic comedy. Little did she know Finn had many secrets. Secrets that only Harry knew. He longed to approach him, but knew for a fact that their relationship was better off behind closed doors. Taking his health into consideration, Harry did not want to do anything that would stress him out and make the aneurysm worse. He gave a small smile as Finn gazed in his direction, to which the teacher smiled back.

Harry continued to walk on; not wanting to see the one he loved put his hand on the intern’s and made his way to his office. He closed the door and sighed. Despite everything he had done, it all felt like it was for nothing in the end. Perhaps that was all their relationship was meant to be; just a dirty little secret. But just as he was about to sit down, he saw on his desk, a steaming cup of black tea, with a small platter of delicious chocolate biscuits that he always enjoyed. Next to it, his paperwork was all in a tidy stack, all nicely organised.  
  
Not wanting to believe his instincts, he rang up the secretary, “Shirley, were you in my office this morning?”

“No, Mr Sinclair. But I did notice Mr Kelly was around there earlier on. He wanted to speak to you, but you weren’t in your office. Shall I send him in?”

Harry smiled, “Yes. Please send him in.” After everything, he needed someone to share these delicious biscuits with him. Despite his doubts, he knew he would do anything for him.  
  


And more, so much more.


End file.
